From around the Web: 2016 Hotel Trends

Jade Conroy of The London Telegraph writes that there nine key trends she’s observing in the hotel market.

Forget the usual hotel restaurant. “Following Rene Redzepi’s successful Noma residency at the Mandarin Oriental Tokyo last year, chefs of similar acclaim are setting up temporarily at hotels.”

Smart Hotels are getting hotter. While no one’s saying that the unmanned hotel is going to be the norm, hotels can use technology to create frictionless experiences for guests. An example of this is Arrive Hotel in Palm Springs. Hotels embracing this philosophy are offering check-in at the hotel bar, cross-functional staff who can provide all kinds of guest support, keyless room entry, on screen Netflix/Apple TV and guest services arranged through text messaging.

An Appreciation for Historical Hotels. There is a growing appreciation for smaller hotels with historical relevance and ambiance. Hotels like The Beekman Hotel and The Chicago Peninsula that are not just luxurious but who have a clear sense of history and style are of great appeal.

Millennials are “in.” Hotels are looking for ways to appeal to this HUGE target market. Some hotels are rethinking room size (include everything a guest needs, and nothing they don’t) and creating entirely new brand lines. Marriott, for example, has an entire hotel that serves as its lab for experimenting with new offerings before rolling it out to the rest of the line.

Wellness Goes Mainstream. Once thought only for the luxury hotels, the wellness trend is making its way downmarket to appeal to all sorts of consumers who realize that health isn’t just about decisions made in the doctor’s office, but rather all the little decisions you make — from restaurant decisions to aromatherapy showers — on a daily basis.